A recent set of delays has pushed some major Ubisoft titles into 2023. In an earnings call on July 21, 2022, Ubisoft announced the cancellation of four games and the delay of two. Among the canceled games were Splinter Cell VR and Ghost Recon: Frontline, with the other two, not being named. The two delayed games were notably Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and “a smaller unannounced premium game.” Reportedly this game is an unannounced Assassin’s Creed game, code-named Rift.
Rift was planned as DLC for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, but it changed into a standalone game to fill a hole in Ubisoft’s thin release schedule for this year. According to Bloomberg, Ubisoft’s office in Bordeaux asked for more time for Rift, due to its development running behind schedule. Now, Rift expects either May or June 2023 release. While little information is known about Rift, along with its setting in the middle-east, it’s reported that it will have a smaller scope and focus heavily on stealth game-play. Ubisoft said it will reveal more information on its next Assassin’s Creed title in September as well as Ubisoft’s upcoming live service game Assassin’s Creed Infinity.
It’s another blow to the gaming publisher’s already weak lineup this year. While fans can look forward to the October release of the Mario + Rabbids title and its long-awaited pirate game Skull & Bones, that’s only two titles for the entire year. Bloomberg reported that Ubisoft’s stock shares fell about 4.5% this year, due to concerns about “delayed game launches caused by the pandemic.” This is just another of the many negative effects the pandemic has caused in the video game community, with many employees unable to work in person. However, this shouldn’t stop fans from being excited for 2022’s small lineup and the upcoming Ubisoft Forward.